Rotary valve for internal-combustion engines.



H. meovi. ROTARY VALVE FOR INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINES.- APPLICATION FILED APIL'IZ, i915. RENEWED OCT. [LUDH- 1,249,'066. Patented Dec. 4,1917.

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H. H. GOVE. ROTAfl YV-ALVE FOR INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINES. AnPLfcnmu mLEn APR.12, 915. RENEWED OCT. 10. 1917.

, 1,249,066. Patented Dee. 4,1917.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

I Jar jf'ove,

. UNITED srrAtrEs Parana. oFFibE- HENRY H. GOVE, OF BIDDEFORD, MAINE, ASSIGNOR 0F ONE-HALE TO J'OIF EN F. DEAN, 0F BIDDEFORD, MAINE.

ROTARY VALVE FOR INTERNAL-COMBUSTION ENGINES.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented ec.4,1917.

Application filed April 12, 1915, Serial No. 20,600. Renewed October 18, 1917. Serial No. 197,376.

To all whom it concern:

Be it known that I, HENRY H. Govn, a citizen ofthe Umted States, and resident of Biddeford, in'th'e county of York and State of Maine, have invented an Improvement in Rotary Valves for Internal-(Join bustion Engines, of which the following description, 1n connection with the accomanying drawin isa specification, like otters on the rawings representing like parts.

The object of my present invention is to improve the construction. of a rotary valve for an internal combustion engine, preferably a multi-cylinder engine. Important features are to provide a novel form of valve, having provision for automatically seating firmly and under. tension against the hearing surface in which said valve rotates to render it compression-tight; to make said valve in longitudinal sections, allowing for individual expansion and: contraction of each section; and to prevent undue heating by utilizing the exhaust and supply to equalize temperatures. In my co'pending application, Serial No. 830,906, filed April 10 1914, 'I have illustrated a similar type of va ve in its general features, and the pres ent.application is an improvement on the :type of.- rotary valve therein, illustrated.

Other improvements and important features dfthe invention are to provide a valve construction which will be simple and economical to manufacture, reducing the expense of grinding and millin the v'alve parts to a minimum, to simpli; the work of assemblihgflmd to produce a strong, solid construction which W111 withstandlong use and heavystrainf and heat of an internal combustion engine.

Further details of construction, novel combination of parts, and advantages will be hereinafter" more fully described and claimed.

2 Referring to the drawings, Fi ure 1 .is a side view partlyv in longitud-ina cross sectionwith the upper part ofa four-cylinder engine and valve construction," a illus'trated in irag'mentary form .Flg. 2s a cross sec'tionalview on'van eniar ed scale through, the iddle section of Fig. 3 is an enlarged perspective of'one of the rotary valve sections;

' .Fig. 4 1s a corresponding perspective view 1 of the valve section. adjacent tothat shown in Rig. 3; Flg. 5 is a fragmentary view, partly in cross section, of a modified form of the invention; and

modi ed form through one of the cylinders} As illustrated in the drawings, I have -shown my invention as applied to a fourcylmder engine, said cylinders being at 1,2, 85

3 and 4:, all inclosed in casing 5, formed with the usual provision for water passages 6 throughoiit the casing. I have also shown the valve casing 7 cast integral with the engine cylinders and'casing or jacket 5, al-

though it will be readily understood that in actual practice I may cast; the engine cylinders separately from the valve casing 7, the

latter being' of substantially equal extent to cover the widths of the plurality of cylin- 1-5 ders constituting the engine, and -bein bolted to the top of the engine casing in a wel -known manner, 2, 3 and 4 is provided with a single port 8,

9,10 and 11 respectively, which ports open into "the rotary valve seat 12 extending 1ongitudi'nally across the entire number of c linders.

connected as to. be rotated in unison, and preferably by a gear or sprocket at one end. These rotary valve sections are preferabl made with alongitudinal cut*'and of s lcient inherentexpansiveness so that'eachsec- 9o ,tionwill automatically tend to sprin out wardly against the walls of the valve s'eat' f2 and bear thereon throughout their entire length wlth' a spring-like action, and take up "any expansion automatically. "This ar '95 fore found against rotary valves 'in internal 1m combustion engines, durin actual use. While I may em loy :[ifierent types of rotary valves witht e automatic springexpansive feature just explained,l prefer to 'ntilize a hollow valvewhich will serve to :10. conduct the supply or. inlet 01: combustible. gas to the cylinders in proper timed relation, and also to employ a novel type of exhaust the-"jholassage extendmg'partly thr h, ibw valve and 60 F1 6 is a cross sectional view. of said Each of the engine cylinders 1,.

I In the valve seat 12 I arran eap urality of rotary valve sections each on gitudlnally separated from the other and so salt-n as the'exhaust port passage for two adjacent cylinders. This construction enables me to utilize the heat of the exhaust and the cooling action ti'v'ely equalize the temperatures of exhaust and supply, as well as to aid in maintaining the rotary valve parts cool wherethe same bear against the walls of the seat 12, and 'thus further insuring the proper and smooth running of the valve. This construe tion also enables me to rotate the valve slowly, at one-half the speed of the crankshaft. My rotary valve as herein shown comprises the sections 13 and 14, each being hollow and each covering two adjacent cylinders. -The section 13 is formed as a sleeve and is provided with a supply port 15 for the cylinder cylinder 4, through pass at proper'times 3 and a portlG for the which the supply may during-the rotation of the valve. This valve section is split longitudinally by -a diagonal saw cut 17, which cut is staggered to pass through the supply ports 15 and 16, while permitting the exhaust ports'18 and 19 to be formed in solid portions of the wall 13. It will be appreciated that it is comparatively unimportant to have the valve compression-tight while the supply ports 15 and 16 are registering with the respective ports 10 and 11 in the cylinders 3 and 4, as this is during the suction stroke of the piston when the-intake is being forced into the cylinders. Therefore, the diagonal split 17 does no harm in passing through these intake ports in the valve, while this longitudinal division permits the entire valve to automatically spring out wa'rdly in its valve seat and hold the ports 10 and 11 closed during the compression and power strokes of the pistons. The exhaust ports 18 and 19 are connected by a short length of pipe 20', havingeach end opposite the exhaust ports 18 and 19 and being secured to the valve 13 at said ports in any suitable manner. Preferably I form the said ports 18 and 19 nular shoulder 21 to receive the open ends of the (pipe 2Q. I also thread the inner end of sai pipe and draw the same tightly against the/inner end of the flange orspart 2'1;by' a'threa ed open, nut 22, interposing a 'gasl;e t";23 between the flange of. said n-ut and the bearing-shoulder part 'o'f the exhaust ports a; larger internal diameter. than .'nut .22'and a cla-mpiiigriiig 24.

are threaded to that, of. the

st pipe 20 on top of same.

d' acent the ejh cylinder relatively long slot,-

eral ports'B, 10'a'nd11 ea into the vitl'veseait as ofgreate'r lengt haust, ports '18 to permit" the brought into'fre of the supply to respecwith a short an- The. outer (e are sev ilj ust described, so asi'ports 15 and 16 .to be:

long port in the engine cylinders during the rotation of the valve. Also by arranging the exhaust ports 18 and 1 9 substantially as illustrated in Fig. 1,I am enabled to utilize these ports and the single short exhaust pipe 20 is alternately ithe exhaust passage first for the cylinder 4 land then for the cylinder 3. Cooperating passages 25 and 26 bein formed in the top of the casing 7, t0 wl iich a single exhaust pipe 27 is connected to receive the exhaust gases from all the cylinders. During therotation of the valve the exhaust port '19, for example, is brought into register with apart of the single port 11 in the cylinder 4, and simultaneously the other end of the exhaust pipe 20 is brought into register with the passage 25 leadingtothe conduit 27 and the consumed gases in the cylinder 4 are exhausted therethrou h, the port 11 is then closed by the wall 0 the valve 13 and the supply port 16 brought into register .with the long port 11 insaid c linder'to give a fresh supply of gas to said cylinder during the next or downward stroke of the piston.

Meanwhile the adjacent cylinder 3 has gone through its compression and explosive stroke, and the exhaust port 18 of the valve 13 is brought into register with the port 10, and simultaneously the port 19 at the other end of the short exhaust pipe 20,,registerswiththepassage 26, and the cylinder 3 exhausts through said pipe 20 and into the conduit 27. The adjacent section of the valve 14 is substantially similar in construction and operation to that just described, although in this section I have illustrated a different form of longitudinal division, shown as a mortise-joint 28. In this section the short pipe 29 connects the exhaust ports 30 and 31 to re 'ster alternately with the port 8 of cylin er 1, and the assage 32 intothe exhaust conduit 27, and the port 9 of cylinder 2 and passage 33 into the conduit 27. Supply ports 34am 35 in this section are also shown as through thelongitudinal split 28. In the'construction herein shown, prefer to supply the intake gases for each pair of cylinders and each valve at approxlmatelya supply pipe36- 13 and 14 to permit respectively, in the adjacent en'dpfthe longitudinal ce'n-. and I prefer to space apartthe 1-20 ipe 36 to have.

valve; dction 14, said lugs bcing-o figreater length then the depth: of such recesses; This -.construction enables the su ply'gascs to flow into the center of each vs va'sectinn at all i I the ot times durin the continued rotation of the valve, and urthermore, act's as a means to rotatethe two sections inunisonl For the a purpose of rotatin the valveIafiix at one end a bevel gear. w eel 41, secured by screws 42 to an end plate 43, closing the open end of the rotary valve and held thereto by screws 44 arranged "around its perihery. By extending the plate 43 to overlap the ends of. the valve 13, I rovide a convenient arrangement for a bal -race, ball bearin 45 being therein illustrated. A correspon ing bevel gear 46 with its axle 47 receiving power from the crankshaft in timed relation therewith, actuates the rotary valve Said shaft 47 may be conveniently journaled in bearings 48 ofa bracket 49 secured to the engine casting by bolts 50 through holes in site end 0 the valve seat 12 may be conveniently closed 'by a plate 53 held'to the engine casting by bolts 54, and, if desired, a ball bearing raceway may be provided between the inner face of the plate 53 and an end section 55 closin the ad'acent outer end of the valve section 14. o facilitate the flow of supply gases along the exhaust ooiiperatingflanges 51and 52. The oppopipes 20 and 29, and also to stifien the to tary valve sections longitudinally without eifecting circumferential expansion, and prevent distortion, Imay form longitudinal ridges 56 on the inner surface of'each valve section, as illustrated in drawings.

In Figs. 5 and 6 a slightly modified formd is shown wherein I dispense with separate inlet and exhaust ports and eliminate the hollow rotary sleeve as a supply conduit, utilizing the type of short exhaust pipe already described for both supply and exhaust, having the same coiiperate'with separate supfplyl and exhaust conduits on the outside 0 t e casing. Fig. 5 illustrates in fragmentary form a section of engine casting 60, having two cylinders 61 and 62, each with a single port 63 and 64 respectively, opening into the rotary valve seat 65. These ports 63 and 64 are relatively long widthwise of the valve in place of the relatively long slots 8 -11 lengthwise of the valve, in the form shown in Fig. 1. Therotary valve 66 is of substantially similar form and is similarly operated to that already described,

butis without inlet ports, being provided .with ashort interior conduit pipe 67 united at its ends to openings 68 and 69 by means.

oflocking nuts, flanges, and locking rings similar to that illustrated in Fig. 2, already described. The valve casing 70, however, is provided with parallel sets of ports, one set on one side, see Fig. 6, being indicated at 72 and" oplening into a supply conduit 73 and er set 74 on the other side of the valve. opening into an exhaust conduit 75. As the valve 66 is rotated, the "port 69, for

nvze'xample, opens into the exhaust passage haust therethrough.

a supply'of fresh simultaneously with the registeringpf the,

port 68 with the first part 0 the single port 64in the cylinder 62 and receives "the exiontin'ued rotation of they valve 66 closes on registering of said valve with the exhaust port 74 and o ens the same cnd.69 with the supply b0lld1llt 72 and 73, while the port 68 is still in register with the last art of the longslot 64 in said cylinder 62, tins receiving and conducting ases thereto. Continued rotation of the valve reverses the operation just described for the-next adjacent cylinder 61, the constant alternating ofthe heat of the exhaust and the cooled suppl of fresh gases through the same'conduit 6 tending sis entire length in staggered relation to the inlet and exhaust ports in each section, said inlet ports being in the line of the longitudinal cut, whereby an inherent outwardly springing valve is provided for each section, independently of the adjacent valve sections.

2. Rotary valve construction for internal combustion engines, comprising a hollow rotary valve. adapted to receive and conduct the supply andexhaust therethrough, a longitudinal internal pipe within said valve between spaced ports through the outer walls of' said valve, said ports having threaded walls adapted to receive a correspondingly threaded flanged hollow binding nut co operating with the open endsof said pipe,

and means to rotate said valve section.

3. A rotary valve for internal combustion engines, having a longitudinal cut throughout its entire length to allow said valve to normally expand and automatically seat itself and compensate for wear within its casing, longitudinalstifiening ribs withinv said valve, and spaced ports through the walls of said valve having a connecting pipe extending longitudinally of said valve.

4. A rotary valve of the kind described for internal combustion engines, com rising an inclosing casing, a plurality of in ependwithin said casing, each. section having a cut longitudinally and partly circumferentially therethrough, allowing the valve section to expand normally and to seat itself v out hollow valve sections adapted to rotate an inclosin automatically within the valve Walls, longitudinal stiffening means for each section,

connecting devices for the abutting ends of adjacent sections providing for uniform 'rotation of all sections and independent expansionof each section, and staggered ports ,pendent ho low va ve sections adapted to rotate within said casing, each section having a cut longitud nally'and partly circumfer-V l lrough, allowing the valve section to expand normally and to seat itself entially theret automatically within the valve walls, longitudinal stiffening rods for each section, dovetailed means connecting the abutting ends rovision for' of adjacent sections having uniform rotation of each sect1on-and independent expansion of each section for fuel tion united by a connecting pipe to conduct the exhaust therethrou h. I

In testimony whereo I have signed my name to this s HENRY H. GOVE.

Witnessesg j EDWIN Cmmnsm,

V HENRY G; Hu'rcnmson.

'intake'around said dovetailed connection,

and staggered ports through each valve sec- 215 ci'fication, in the presence of two subscribing witnesses. 

